diff --git a/src/api/apiUtils.js b/src/api/apiUtils.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a97e14f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/api/apiUtils.js
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+export async function handleResponse(response) {
+  if (response.ok) return response.json();
+  if (response.status === 400) {
+    // So, a server-side validation error occurred.
+    // Server side validation returns a string error message, so parse as text instead of json.
+    const error = await response.text();
+    throw new Error(error);
+  }
+  throw new Error("Network response was not ok.");
+}
+
+// In a real app, would likely call an error logging service.
+export function handleError(error) {
+  // eslint-disable-next-line no-console
+  console.error("API call failed. " + error);
+  throw error;
+}
diff --git a/src/api/authorApi.js b/src/api/authorApi.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8439475
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/api/authorApi.js
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+import { handleResponse, handleError } from "./apiUtils";
+const baseUrl = process.env.API_URL + "/authors/";
+
+export function getAuthors() {
+  return fetch(baseUrl).then(handleResponse).catch(handleError);
+}
diff --git a/src/api/courseApi.js b/src/api/courseApi.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..134d04c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/api/courseApi.js
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+import { handleResponse, handleError } from "./apiUtils";
+const baseUrl = process.env.API_URL + "/courses/";
+
+export function getCourses() {
+  return fetch(baseUrl).then(handleResponse).catch(handleError);
+}
+
+export function saveCourse(course) {
+  return fetch(baseUrl + (course.id || ""), {
+    method: course.id ? "PUT" : "POST", // POST for create, PUT to update when id already exists.
+    headers: { "content-type": "application/json" },
+    body: JSON.stringify(course)
+  })
+    .then(handleResponse)
+    .catch(handleError);
+}
+
+export function deleteCourse(courseId) {
+  return fetch(baseUrl + courseId, { method: "DELETE" })
+    .then(handleResponse)
+    .catch(handleError);
+}
diff --git a/src/components/courses/CoursesPage.js b/src/components/courses/CoursesPage.js
index 6a1a8df..67187f7 100644
--- a/src/components/courses/CoursesPage.js
+++ b/src/components/courses/CoursesPage.js
@@ -5,37 +5,14 @@ import PropTypes from "prop-types";
 import { bindActionCreators } from "redux";
 
 class CoursesPage extends React.Component {
-  state = {
-    course: {
-      title: ""
-    }
-  };
-
-  handleChange = (event) => {
-    const course = { ...this.state.course, title: event.target.value };
-    this.setState({ course });
-  };
-
-  handleSubmit = (event) => {
-    event.preventDefault();
-    this.props.actions.createCourse(this.state.course);
-  };
-
   render() {
     return (
-      <form onSubmit={this.handleSubmit}>
+      <>
         <h2>Courses</h2>
-        <h3>Add Course</h3>
-        <input
-          type="text"
-          onChange={this.handleChange}
-          value={this.state.course.title}
-        />
-        <input type="submit" value="Save" />
         {this.props.courses.map((course) => (
           <div key={course.title}>{course.title}</div>
         ))}
-      </form>
+      </>
     );
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/redux/actions/actionTypes.js b/src/redux/actions/actionTypes.js
index 18939e7..f78d80f 100644
--- a/src/redux/actions/actionTypes.js
+++ b/src/redux/actions/actionTypes.js
@@ -1 +1,2 @@
 export const CREATE_COURSE = "CREATE_COURSE";
+export const LOAD_COURSES_SUCCESS = "LOAD_COURSES_SUCCESS";
diff --git a/src/redux/actions/courseActions.js b/src/redux/actions/courseActions.js
index 5c5e207..d891c33 100644
--- a/src/redux/actions/courseActions.js
+++ b/src/redux/actions/courseActions.js
@@ -1,5 +1,23 @@
 import * as types from "./actionTypes";
+import * as courseApi from "../../api/courseApi";
 
 export function createCourse(course) {
   return { type: types.CREATE_COURSE, course };
 }
+
+function loadCoursesSuccess(courses) {
+  return { type: types.LOAD_COURSES_SUCCESS, courses };
+}
+
+export function loadCourses() {
+  return function (dispatch) {
+    return courseApi
+      .getCourses()
+      .then((courses) => {
+        dispatch(loadCoursesSuccess(courses));
+      })
+      .catch((error) => {
+        throw error;
+      });
+  };
+}
diff --git a/src/redux/configureStore.js b/src/redux/configureStore.js
index c1130b8..59f0345 100644
--- a/src/redux/configureStore.js
+++ b/src/redux/configureStore.js
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import { createStore, applyMiddleware, compose } from "redux";
 import rootReducer from "./reducers";
 import reduxImmutableStateInvariant from "redux-immutable-state-invariant";
+import thunk from "redux-thunk";
 
 export default function configureStore(initialState) {
   const composeEnhancers =
@@ -9,6 +10,6 @@ export default function configureStore(initialState) {
   return createStore(
     rootReducer,
     initialState,
-    composeEnhancers(applyMiddleware(reduxImmutableStateInvariant()))
+    composeEnhancers(applyMiddleware(thunk, reduxImmutableStateInvariant()))
   );
 }
diff --git a/webpack.config.dev.js b/webpack.config.dev.js
index 2673392..092e8df 100644
--- a/webpack.config.dev.js
+++ b/webpack.config.dev.js
@@ -23,6 +23,9 @@ module.exports = {
     https: false
   },
   plugins: [
+    new webpack.DefinePlugin({
+      "process.env.API_URL": JSON.stringify("http://localhost:3001")
+    }),
     new HtmlWebpackPlugin({
       template: "src/index.html",
       favicon: "src/favicon.ico"